The Real-ity World

A number of world-changing events happened in the early 90s. Yugoslavia was no more, a woman became the Prime Minister of Canada, Michael Jordan dominated the NBA, and, more importantly,  I was born. Another important event occurred May 21, 1992 – The Real World graced our beloved televisions for the very first time.

This show featuring 7 strangers from all walks of life from around the USA came together to live in a house where they stopped being polite….and started getting real was the first of its genre. It was the pioneer of reality television. people were enthralled by the show, and captivated by the characters. This formula worked so well, that this show is still running to this day, and is currently on its 30th season. The Real World spurred a slew of new reality television shows that networks loved because they were so cheap to produce.

I have been obsessed with reality television as long as I can remember. Game shows, cooking shows, wedding shows, I’ve seen and loved them all. I’ve even tuned in for a few seasons of the Real World, obviously long after the show’s initial premiere.  I’ve always been fascinated by being able to look into the lives of others’, some obviously a little more ‘real’ than others. This fascination has followed me into adulthood, even thought the show landscape has evolved.

These days, we are bombarded by millions of different reality shows to appeal to all demographics. It can be hard to decipher what is real and what is not. Even The Real World has these moments, but it will always be  credited for the genre of television we know and love today.